ce, back to back; put on a bunch of trout-flies in
addition; wound several worms round all; failed in every attempt to cast
with care; and finished off by breaking the top of the rod, entangling
the line round his legs, and fixing the hooks in his coat-tails; after
which he rushed wildly up to the White House, to tell what he had seen
and show what he had done!

From that day forward Mr Sudberry always commenced his day's sport at
the "Salmon Pool."

As usual, on this his last day, he went down to the salmon pool, but he
had so often fished there in vain, that hope was well-nigh extinguished.
In addition to this, his spirits were depressed, so he gave the rod to
Fred.

Fred was not naturally a fisher, and he only agreed to take the rod
because he saw that his father was indifferent about it.

"Fred, my boy, cast a little farther over, just below yon curl in the
water near the willow bush--ah! that's about the place. Hobbs declares
that he raised a salmon there; but I can't say I've ever seen one
myself; though I have fished here every other morning for many weeks."

Mr Sudberry had not quite finished speaking when Fred's rod was bent
into the form of a large hoop.

"Hallo! here, father, take it--I don't know what to do."

What a blaze of excitement beamed on the father's countenance!

"Hurrah! hold on, Fred,--no, no, _no_! ease off--he'll break all away."

The caution was just in time. Fred was holding on like a true Briton.
He suddenly let the rod down and allowed the line to run out, which it
did like lightning.

"What now, father? Oh! _do_ take it--I shall certainly lose the fish."

"No, no, boy; it is _your_ fish; try to play it out." No one but the
good man himself knew what a tremendous effort of self-denial Mr
Sudberry made on this occasion. But Fred felt certain that the fish
would get off. He also knew that his father would give fifty pounds
down on the spot to land a salmon: so he said firmly, "Father, if you
don't take the rod, I'll throw it down!"

This settled the question. Father took the rod under protest, and,
having had considerable experience in trout-fishing, began to play the
salmon with really creditable skill, considering the difficulty of the
operation, and the fact that it was his first "big fish."

What varied expression flitted across the countenance of the
enthusiastic sportsman on this great occasion! He totally forgot
himself and his sons; he forgot even that this was